Another day, A Second Chance
by goldsilver-dragoness
Summary: When a teenage girl is found dieing in a recently destroyed village, the ninjas that find her decide to take her back to Konoha for treatment. Weather this decision will cause more bad than good is still unknown. Will she be able to fit in?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first Naruto fanfiction. This chapter may be a little short but I will try to get the next chapter up soon. Also, this fanfiction takes place after the time skip. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…but I do own a couple of characters that will be introduced. **

**Left to Die**

I lay on the cold, snow covered ground. The temperatures were below freezing. It was just my luck to be out, dieing in a blizzard, next to frozen corpses and mutilated bodies. No one was going to come looking for me; no one was left. Everyone who once knew me was either dead or dieing.

The howling wind could be heard against the ruins of the newly destroyed buildings. I wasn't born when the village was built, but I had been around during the times of remodeling and construction. Of all the things I would miss about the village, I would miss the village, itself, the most. I had always hated the people here, so it made no difference to me that they were now dead.

I winced in pain as my body jerked, due to my muscles that had started to spasm. Blood soaked the snow around me. It wasn't only my blood, but that of the villagers also.

I knew I really wasn't going to last much longer in this environment. My mind had started to wander into the recent past. It had only been a day or two ago that my life had been normal…right? How long has it been since the village was attacked? A single tear slide down my cheek and froze. I had nothing else to live for now. My thoughts all seemed fixed on a quick death, but it didn't seem like it was going to happen that way.

My body had gone numb as the hours went by. Or was it days? I couldn't tell any more. Some part of my body kept me informed that I was going in and out of consciousness. My mind had slowed, and I couldn't think in a pattern without extreme concentration. I later remember asking myself why I wasn't dead yet. At some point I could sense that the blizzard had dissipated.

Sometime during the night, though, I couldn't tell you the day, I had regained consciousness long enough to open my eyes. What I saw could only be described as bright orange lights, almost like torches. I didn't think anything of it, because at that point all thought patterns seemed lost to me.

But some how, my heart started racing faster. The lights were getting bigger…no they were getting closer! This was it I was finally going to die. I had a vague thought that if I didn't get my heart rate under control I was liable to blackout again. Some part of me knew that if I fainted now, the orange lights would go away forever, and leave me there in the dark.

My eyes stayed open long enough to see a dim figure in front of me holding one of those orange lights. Another wave of pain rolled over me and my whole body jerked. Then I heard some sort of noise, some sort of frantic yelling from the figure in front of me. I couldn't quite make out the words, but I knew somewhere deep within me that was still alive, I wasn't alone anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I decided to just post the second chapter rather than wait another day**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but I do own Himika and Sanbi**

**Waking up to Strangers**

I woke up in a shell of pain. I was used to pain, but it came as a shock how horrible physical pain could be, as opposed to the mental pain I usually received. I had been raised to think that mental pain was worse, but now as it overwhelmed me with its strength, I was having second thoughts.

It was hard to focus at first, and it was at least a full ten minutes before my mind could think of any other thing to say except "ouch". Recent thoughts came back, and there was that mental pain, coming at me full force. I thought for a moment that my heart had stopped, but it soon became apparent that I was holding my breath.

There was a loud noise. My eyes shot open searching my surroundings. The loud noise appeared to be someone knocking on the door. My heart raced faster. Where was I? A hospital of some sort obviously, but where? I began to panic as two people entered the room. One was blonde and the other brunette.

The blonde one seemed to examine me critically, as if she was expecting me to disappear suddenly. At that moment I wished that I did.

The brunette held a clipboard in her hand, and seemed to be waiting on the blonde to do something. Time ticked by and the silence soon became deafening.

Just then, when I began to get suspicions that they actually thought I was sleeping, the blonde woman's brown eyes locked with my amethyst ones. Something in my mind reminded me to breath, seeing as how I'd stopped again.

The blonde woman had a look of authority about her; a look that said if you mess with me be ready for the consequences. Her lips started moving, but it took me a second to realize that she was talking to me.

"What's your name?" She asked.

I scanned my brain for the best way to answer the authoritive figure.

"S-San-Sanbi" I stuttered half from nerves and half from the lack of speech I'd had in the past (unknown) days.

She seemed to process this information, and then she was back to her interrogation.

"Alright then, Sanbi," she started, "how are you feeling?" (1)

There were many things I could have said to her at that point, but seeing as how it was supposed to be a polite question, I wasn't going to be the first to act uncivil…yet.

"Despite both the physical and mental pain that has been inflicted upon myself, I think I'm doing _just peachy_ seeing as how I'm still alive." I responded complete with a glare and full sarcasm. Oops, so much for being civil.

I could almost feel the blonde and brunette's annoyance for me grow. Was it me or was the blonde lady's eyebrow actually starting to twitch?

At that moment (thankfully for me) another person walked in. She was short for her age (of what looked like 18), and she had long black hair that was tied back the same way as the blonde lady's. She had deep blue eyes, and was wearing a headband (which I recognized as Konoha's) and a Jounin's vest.

She seemed to assess the situation when she entered the room. Barely glancing at me, she discovered I was conscious.

"Lord Hokage," she started saying to the blonde lady, "I see the Jane Doe (2) has finally woken up."

So she was the Hokage I had just disrespected...great.

"Finally decided to join us then, Himika?" She asked the newcomer. "And our Jane Doe here appears to be called Sanbi."

This Himika person looks at me with a disappointed face. "Damn, I totally lost that bet then, Shizune." She says turning to the other woman in the room. "If only she had died…"

I heard her mumble the last part under her breath, and I had no doubt in my mind that the other two had heard it as well. The Hokage person seemed to put on a curious expression, as if silently agreeing. Suddenly I felt worse that I had before.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

(1) Sanbi basically means extreme pain, or sorrow. So when Tsunade asked how she was doing, it was kind of a bad pun.

(2) Jane Doe is a term used for dead females who are found but not identified (not sure on the spelling though).


	3. Chapter 3

**a/n: next chapter is up**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto but I do own Sanbi and Himika**

**Learning about Future Arrangements **

There was an awkward silence. I wasn't going to be the one to talk first. I glanced from the three people in front of me to my surroundings. The room wasn't really all that big.

There was a window to the right of me and the door to the left. The window had its curtains drawn, I had noticed. In a corner of the room there was a wardrobe. Next to the window was a drawer with a vase on it. The vase was empty, though.

The walls were painted milk white. The floor's tiles matched the wall. And, although I couldn't see it from first point of view, the mirror on the wall directly in front of me showed me that there was a gray rug in front of the bed.

Looking at the mirror again I saw a reflection of myself. I just stared at what I saw. Most of my upper body, including my arms, neck, and chest, were covered in bandages. I could see burn marks and newly forming scars where the bandages didn't cover. Over the bandages I wore a hospital style gown; it was blue.

My waist, length hair was worn down. The auburn tresses were in knots. My porcelain skin looked paler than any alive human's should have been. It was probably due to the blood loss. Looking at my reflection made me feel like I was a ghost.

Then there was talking again.

That Hokage lady was saying something.

"Sanbi, this is Himika." She said pointing to the black haired woman. "Her, along with another group of Jounin's, including Shizune here, was among those that found you."

There was silence again.

I registered the information and frowned. Why was she telling me this? I thought it might be wise not to comment on it, but against my better judgment I decided to voice my opinion anyway.

"And why should I care? It's not like I'm going to thank them." Damn it, I've got to stop doing that!

They were starting to see my true colors already. The Hokage and that Shizune lady seemed to grow angrier, while that Himika person just chuckled.

"Lord Hokage," Himika started saying, "would you like me to explain it to her?"

The Hokage still seemed just a tad-bit below her full composure and she gave Himika one of her looks.

"Sure," She said in a strangled voice, "but Shizune and I have to leave now and check on other patients."

And with that they left the room.

Himika stood watching the door for a moment, and then she focused her attention on me. She seemed to have a smile on her face.

"Or maybe she just didn't want to have to deal with you any more. Looks like you sure made her mad." She said, her face lighting up.

I just glared at the woman in front of me.

"Well any way," Himika started to say in a way that made it seem almost obvious that she didn't like silence, "What the Lord Hokage wanted me to explain was that since I found you, you're going to be my responsibility."

She paused for a moment to let her words sink in. I just stared at her and in an afterthought I wondered if my mouth was hanging open. In that period of time, it became suddenly all to apparent that I was not going to get along with her, regardless of weather or not she got along with me. She then started talking again.

"Before you develop any misconceptions," she said enunciating every syllable, "this means that once you're 'all better' you're to be under my care-"I then cut her off.

"Yeah, I got that much when you said 'my responsibility." I snapped without a second thought. Bad self, bad.

I felt air go by my face, and then a stinging sensation on my cheek. Something hot and liquid trailed down my face. The woman before me had her hand out stretched and she was the image of fury. It took me a second to realize that she had thrown a kunai that grazed my cheek.

"I am not like the Hokage," She practically growled, "if you disrespect me, I won't just stand idle and do nothing. Don't interrupt again."

The words sunk in fast, and they wouldn't need repeating. They soon became what were known to me as rule number one.

"Once you're well, I will arrange a place for you to live." She continued, "then further arrangements will be discussed when _I_ find the need to tell you." She finished her statement with a glare.

I didn't really know if this statement signaled for me to talk or not. I just nodded in agreement anyway, though. It seemed to have worked seeing as how she left the room. I sighed in relief.

My thoughts began to wander again in the now quiet room. I looked around for some sort of clock or calendar. Finding none I gave up.

Looking in the mirror again I found a sign on the end of the bed, but since the mirror made the words backwards I couldn't read it. I crawled to the foot of the bed and grabbed the sign, ignoring the stabbing pain all over my body. Sitting back down I read it to myself. I figured out that I had been here in the Konoha hospital for a week (1), while it had been a whole ten days since my life was normal.

I threw the clipboard on the desk next to the window now that it had no use for me any more. Reclining back on my pillow I looked at the white ceiling. Every thing was going to be different now. And even though I was too proud to let myself cry in a public place, it seemed that I did anyway. It was starting to become quite clear to me that I no longer had any control what-so-ever.

0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

(1) On the board it said she had been checked in for 7 days at the hospital. It also said the date on the board. Using that information, she just subtracted the date it was currently, from the date it was when the attack happened.


	4. Chapter 4

**a/n: My sister gave me a review trying to make me feel better about not getting one yet, and she was still signed in as me XD. So now I look like I sent it to my self…on other notes I got the next chapter up.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto but I do own Sanbi, Himika, and Narashite**

**Off the Scale**

As two more weeks of being bed ridden went by I got to know a little more about the Hokage, named Tsunade, seeing as how I'd sent all the nurses that came into my room away in tears. I saw Himika a couple of times coming in with another jounin. Sometimes the jounin was different. Some times the same. Either way there was no introduction made and I never got to know the names of the people with her.

Shizune stopped by a couple of times, too. She seemed nicer than Himika or Tsunade. Himika didn't really talk to me any more after I managed to throw my glass cup full of water at her. The glass shattered, but the pieced didn't hit her. Unfortunately the water did, though and she stalked out of there fuming and soaked. Tsunade only came in to yell at me for scaring the nurses. Shizune actually talked to me, though I had my suspicions that she was asked to, and I began to like her more than the other people that walked in the small, dark, room. I never was comfortable around other people, save one in my life, and I'd always acted hostile around them.

I'd grown up mostly on my own, seeing as how I'd been orphaned when I was seven. Like most kids forced to make their way in a poor village, I'd stolen food and clothing. When I got caught I ran, and I ran fast. Though, one time when I was eight I got caught and couldn't get away. The guy who caught me turned out to be called Narashite.

Narashite became my idol. He was a ninja from some village to the west. He and his four comrades were on a mission near our village. We became friends in the way of student and sensei, and he and usually some other ninjas, came to visit me often. During those visits he secretly taught me ninja arts, due to my begging. I became faster, stronger, and stealthier and when Narashite was away (because he usually was the only one who caught me being the spoil sport he was) I stole more successfully. After I had mastered most of his training methods, because I was one of the sharper kunai in the pouch (so he told me), he then announced to me that I was a qualified ninja. Since I wasn't in a ninja village, though, it was just an empty statement. I just thought of it as a means of self-defense.

But that was the past. The two weeks went by boringly slow. Now today was the day in which the future arrangements were to be made. Himika was supposed to be coming any time now to show me where I was supposed to live while recuperating.

Then right on cue, there was the sound of foot steps in the hall, followed by a knock at the door. At least they gave me a little privacy. Until the got tired of waiting for me to answer and just barged in. Himika was the worst when it came to decency; she was always half way through the door by the time the knocking stopped. This time was no different.

She was wearing her usual jounin vest, and baggy, black pants. Her shirt that was worn under the vest had string attached sleeves. Today the sleeves were connected. Her forehead protector seemed shinier than usual, as if she had polished it. Her black hair was tied back in pigtails like always and her blue eyes glowed with good humor.

So, she was in a good mood today.

"Twerp," she says, addressing me, "today's the big day!"

A very good day it seemed.

I no longer trusted my self to talk to her after the previous times. So instead I just nodded in acceptance, noticeably biting my tongue to keep the words from freely flowing. She just laughed at my antics.

"You're learning fast." She says, grinning broadly at me. "Any way we should get going. Time to see your new lodging."

I nodded my agreement once again, still biting my tongue. There was a moment of silence, until Himika broke it.

I got up slowly, my sore limbs not really used to walking, even though I'd walked a little everyday for the past four days. As I managed to walk over to the wardrobe and open it, the walking got easier as my muscles became less stiff.

Inside was the pair of clothes that I had been wearing when I was brought in, new mended, though. The shirt was more or less Chinese style, with the high neck and tight long sleeves. The shirt opened up in the front with buttons spaced out from the neck all the way to the end of the long shirt, which I knew would reach almost half way to my knees. The shirt had slits in the sides allowing for more breathing area. It was tighter at the arms and chest than it was further down, becoming very loose fitted.

To go with it was a pair of baggy shorts which would reach a little further than the shirt. I also had another pair of tight, stretchy, under shorts, which stopped just above my knees. My clothes were all coordinating hues of gray and purple. I noticed that my shoes and hair bands were there also.

Himika left the room. I quickly changed clothes and followed Himika out. Out side, the hall was brighter than my room, seeing as how I'd never cared enough to open the window, and my eyes needed a moment to adjust. Himika just kept walking, obviously expecting me to follow. I ran to catch up, my newly braided hair swinging every which way. She always seemed to be five steps in front of me no matter how fast I walked. I was getting suspicions that she was putting chakra in her feet. Eventually we signed out and exited the hospital.

I stared in awe at the beautiful surroundings. How prosperous was Konoha? As we began to walk toward our destination, I forced myself to look at the buildings instead of the people. I might have been inclined to terrorize the people if I hadn't noticed the way the buildings all seemed very bright and new. The trees seemed to swallows the village in it. Maybe that was why it was called the Leaf Village. After a good ten minutes of site seeing (in which I wouldn't have been able to describe a single person I saw and would have given you the exact details on how to get to just about any place in the village) we arrived at our destination. It was an apartment building.

It looked nice enough on the outside. There was an over hang that connected the roofs of the apartments across from each other together. Walking inside I discovered a bathroom, a kitchen connected to the living/dining room, and a bedroom. There was a couch, a radio, some blankets, and some kitchen appliances. Those things made up the house's furnishings. I could see that this was going to take a lost of work.

"The apartment was a favor to the Hokage; you'll have to thank her." Himika said. "All you really need to get is some furniture and food."

I looked at her as if to ask how I was supposed to pay for it, and she seemed to catch my meaning.

"There are many ways you can earn money around the village, though being a ninja is one of the easiest," she laughed. "Anyway since you are new here and everything, we're cutting you some slack."

She hands me an envelope. The word money is written on it. I look at it for a moment and then looked back at Himika to see her leaving.

"I'll see you later, but right now I have other affairs to deal with. In about an hour other 'arrangements' will be sent over. Try to be a good kid, and don't leave." She said as she left the house.

I just stared after her for a good two minutes before doing something on my own. It seemed like forever before I heard the knock at the door. I walked over tentatively, not really wanting to go for the eager look. Opening the door I saw three girls. The one that stuck out the most was the middle girl because she had short pink hair (and green eyes I also noticed). Another one that also stuck out had white-ish-lavender eyes, and long blue-black hair. The last one wasn't as shocking, but she had brown eyes and dark brown hair that was styled in two buns atop her head. They all had forehead protectors somewhere about them. I simply stared; obviously my self induced silence hadn't worn off yet.

It was the pink haired one that spoke first.

"Hi, we were sent to come get you." She explained. "I'm Sakura Haruno. This is Hinata Hyuga," she said pointing the long haired girl, "and this is TenTen." She then pointed to the brown haired girl.

I nodded in acknowledgement at her statement.

"I'm Sanbi Nikumu." I said simply.

**Regular POV**

There was an awkward silence, but Sakura broke it.

"We should get going. We're going to show you around the village." She stated.

Sanbi had no desire to leave with the three girls at that moment. It wasn't very helpful to think that the three kunoichi probably had weapons and attacks that could kill her if they wanted. She decided to go along with it any way, though, without a hassle because she saw that those girls meant business and probably wouldn't leave without her under and circumstances. She just sighed and left with them, unaware of the horror she would have to endure next.

Shopping. Lots and lots of shopping. If it wasn't grocery shopping it was clothes. Sanbi was beginning to hate money because she discovered that with money you could still buy more. There fore she was forced by the trio to do so until she was almost out of it. The three girls seemed nice enough and they were different and alike in many ways. Sakura and TenTen talked a lot, but Hinata was shy. Sakura and Hinata were more into healing techniques and herbs, but TenTen was a weapons specialist. All of these things Sanbi discovered while shopping (along with the fact that the three were chuunins). Out of all the people in the village maybe these three could become Sanbi's friends.

At about noon the streets started to fill up. Sanbi started getting uneasy, and the kunoichi could tell. They slowly made their way to the park where less people would be. The park was also known to shinobi and kunoichi alike as the training ground. Regular civilians didn't go to the 'park', and currently there were only a few people there.

Sanbi liked this area better than the other shopping one. All four of the girls dropped their bags on the ground next to a tree, intending to come back for them later. Suddenly one of the people from the park comes over and shouts a greeting to the three kunoichi. The girl is blonde haired and blue eyed. Her long hair is held back in a pony tail. Sakura seemed the happiest of the three to see her. Then the girl just stares at Sanbi, as if suddenly seeing her, which was probably the case.

"So, who's she?" the newcomer asks Sakura.

"This is Sanbi. Sanbi this is Ino Yamanaka. Sakura says, introducing them.

Ino looks at Sanbi again, as if categorizing her. The she turned her attention to Sakura again. TenTen seemed kind of annoyed with Ino's arrival and she gave Hinata a look that said lets go. TenTen gave Sakura and Ino a brief good-bye explanation saying they would be back, and then proceeded to walk away with Hinata and Sanbi. They walked over to the more used trained area where some people were.

**Sanbi's POV**

I couldn't help but think that Ino was a chatter box. It sure was a good thing that TenTen got us out of there. Now we were walking toward more people. Great. Let's hope they're not as annoying as the last one. There were three guys over here. One was blonde haired and blue eyed like the last person. Please don't let them be related. He sees us first and starts right on talking. Yup annoying.

"Hey, Hinata, TenTen." He shouts to them smiling like an idiot. The other two that were with him turn around to see what he's talking about, but I don't get a good look at them.

"Loud as ever," I hear TenTen mumble to herself.

Suddenly the kid is upon us. He obviously saw me because he was staring at me, ready to question TenTen and Hinata. Suddenly I felt sorry for them for having to deal with him.

"Who's that, Hinata?" I hear him loudly ask the poor, shy girl. She seemed to be blushing.

"Um, um, th-this is Sanbi." She says in her shy manner that makes me pity her. Thankfully for her TenTen helps her out.

"We're showing her around the village…She's kind of new to Konoha." She says. Then she turns to me, "Sanbi, this is Naruto Uzumaki."

My speech was coming back and I couldn't resist. It was just so tempting.

"Are you sure he's not related to the blonde girl back there?" I asked this to TenTen. Erg, I'm doing it again.

TenTen, Hinata, and Naruto just stared at me, as if try to decide weather it was a joke or not. I sighed. They couldn't even tell anyway when I was making fun of them.

"Never mind." I mumbled. Grrr, now they probably think _I_ am the stupid one.

The other two were over here now. One of them had black hair, bowl cut style, wearing some sort of green spandex suit with a chuunins vest over it. He started to talk.

"Hello, Sanbi. I couldn't help but over hear your name. I am Rock Lee, the hansom green beast of the Leaf Village." He said with a smile that made his teeth shine, and he gave me a thumbs up.

If I just died I wouldn't have known the difference. I didn't even know the world had people like this. I was embarrassed for him. My eyes were wide open, and I could almost feel myself start to twitch. I couldn't even laugh. I was pretty sure my jaw had dropped, too. The others had similar expressions, also, I noticed, but he was completely oblivious.

Suddenly the third person was saying something. I turned to him, closing my mouth with a snap.

"Hi, I'm Neji Hyuga." He said with a trace of a smile on his face.

If I as staring again, I knew why. Neji was wearing a tan robe outfit, with black pants underneath. His hair was dark brown, and almost as long as mine, maybe longer, and it was worn loosely in a hair tie. His eyes were the same shade as Hinata's; white-ish-lavender. I knew by looking at him that he wasn't a chuunin or genin; but rather a jounin. He was around my age of 16. Oh yes, I knew why I was staring. This Neji Hyuga, in front of me, was down right off the hotness scale, and he was so completely out of my league.


	5. Chapter 5

**a/n: Sorry it took so long to get up…soccer started and I've had two practices a day. School starts in three days. Sorry the chapter is short I also happened to run into some writers block.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**A Plan in the Making**

He had his hand out stretched, as if for me to shake it. I took it in my own. His flesh was warm; probably from training. I had to remind myself to breath; I'd stopped somewhere in between his greeting and Rock Lee's. I heard myself mumble something like 'nice to meet ya'. I remembered thinking to myself that this might be a good place to live for a while.

And then Sakura and Ino were with us again. I barely had time to register the fact that Sakura said it was time to go. Never in my life had I detested someone so much. I followed behind the four girls, resisting every urge and desire to turn around for another glimpse of Neji.

We grabbed our bags on the way out of the park. It seemed like only a short time before we were back at the apartment. Somewhere during the trip, Sakura, Ino, and TenTen had left, leaving it up to Hinata to get me back safely.

As she was about to leave I started to put two and two together. Both had the same last name, Hyuga. Both had the same color eyes. I called to her with the question burning in my mind.

"Are you related to Neji?" I asked in a way that made her stare at me.

The look that was clearly evident on her face asked why I wanted to know. She decided better than to ask me about it, though, and just answered my question.

"Y-yes, we're cousins." She answered complete with her (I'm guessing infamous) stutter.

I looked thoughtful. Cousins, huh? She was turning to leave. I said a brief good-bye and went inside. Maybe she and I _would_ become friends.

I went into the kitchen to put up the groceries. Most of the stuff I'd bought was what TenTen and Sakura had thrown at me. I didn't bother looking at it now either. There were some things I just really didn't want to know.

Once I'd finished unloading the groceries, I set my self to the task of putting up all the new clothes and accessories they had practically shoved down my throat. I think they were under the impression that I would wear them some day…or maybe they thought they'd be able to borrow it. The items were all quickly discarded on the bedroom floor.

I went on to other objects after that. Towels were placed in the cabinet under the sink in the bathroom. The toothbrush went in a drawer with the toothpaste. And the blankets were thrown on the floor of the bedroom (which I decided I wasn't going to use). When I was done with everything it was getting dark.

I went to bed that night on the couch. My mind was going back and forth between certain thoughts. Did I like a guy I didn't even know? Or did I only think he was completely gorgeous? It didn't matter anyway. I could never get someone like him.

Other thoughts came into the loop. Did I want to stay here in this village of Konoha? If I did I'd have to get myself some sort of job; my money supply was almost completely diminished thanks to that damnable shopping trip. This was a ninja village, why not become a ninja? Only how did one go about accomplishing such? Maybe I'd ask Himika…

I was changing I realized. What happened to my rudeness? My temper? How could I have just lost everything that I'd ever worked and lived for, and now I wanted to live for something else? It shouldn't have happened this fast…it was normal.

That night I didn't even feel myself drift into sleep.

I woke the next morning feeling like I had been deprived of energy. It took me a moment or two to recognize my surroundings. Memories came back, and the weight on my shoulders was replaced. I decided to take a shower to ease my mind.

My burns and cuts weren't completely healed, so they stung as the water hit them. I was glad that my clothes mostly covered them. I got out of the shower a half hour later.

Deciding I was hungry, I went to see what I had gotten yesterday. My findings turned out to be eggs and bread, but being the self taught cook that I was, the toast was burned and I got shell in my eggs. There was profanity all around; maybe I _was_ going to return to normal after all.

After breakfast I didn't really have anything to do. I was just about to leave the apartment to search for the Hokage's office, when someone knocked on the door. Seeing as how I'd locked it, Himika couldn't just walk in. I walked slowly to the door, fully dreading when I'd open it to find Himika standing there.

It wasn't Himika. It was Hinata. I was confused. Didn't they have to go in groups of three or some crap like that? Oh well, guess I wasn't much of a threat to a chuunin anyway. She stood there patiently, wondering when I was going to invite her in no doubt.

"Erm….hi…um…come in.." I said, not really knowing or caring how to approach the subject.

She gave a little smile in compliance and came in. I peaked my head out the door, wondering if her friends were tailing behind somewhere. Seeing no one, I closed the door. She was standing behind me somewhat. I looked around for somewhere we could sit down or something, but finding nothing except the couch, I just sat down there. I motioned for her to do the same.

As she sat down I noticed she had a bag with her. She seemed to catch my gaze. She smiled and looked like she had something to say.

"Um…I-I brought s-some food. I d-didn't know i-if you ate yet, a-and I was w-wondering if you m-might want s-some." She explained with a blush on her face.

I smiled at her generosity. She seemed genuinely nice, not like she was put up to it by someone…but then again… so did Narashite. I mentally winced at that last thought. Hinata seemed to notice my discomfort.

"I would love some, actually. I just ate, but my cooking is so horrible that it should be classified as lethal." I laughed at myself for the first time in a long while.

We sat down on the floor and spread some napkins out. Inside was what looked like a freshly prepared meal; not store bought. We ate in silence, but my mind was practically shouting that the food was to die for. Did _she_ make this? After the meal, my questions were answered.

"Wow! This is delicious!" I exclaimed.

She smiled at me in her shy thanks.

"Did you make this?" I asked sounding a little less suspicious than I usually did.

A modest nod and a blush was her answer. I must have looked utterly astounded because she started looking nervous. A plan started to form in my mind. I acted upon it before the moment could escape.

"Um…could you teach me how to cook?" I asked a little embarrassed.

She looked startled for a second, then a little confused. At that point I really hoped that I didn't intimidate her.

"You don't have to if you don't want to." I said hoping to give her the impression that it was really her choice.

She smiled a bit but didn't really seem to relax. "S-sure…though I-I'm not really c-certain how much h-help I'll b-be."

I practically beamed at her. Life just seemed to be falling back in to place. Though, I kept it in the back of my mind that danger was still out there…but for now I was just going to be doing what I wanted.

0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

**If anyone has any suggestions on what they think should happen then I'm all ears. Also I'm open to constructive criticism. **


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